"It's a passionate game, and honestly, not that I like seeing it all the time, but when you see that kind of heat and that energy, you know that person's invested. That's better than the guy that's just moping on the sideline by himself with his helmet off."

Audio released of the televised exchange between Bryant, receivers coach Derek Dooley and quarterback Tony Romo revealed Bryant - amid the arm waving and shouting - was attempting to have a productive conversation at a critical juncture in the game against the Detroit Lions.

Things became more heated when Bryant blew up again after the Lions' winning touchdown with 12 seconds to go, to the point veteran tight end Jason Witten screamed back and defensive end DeMarcus Ware, inactive for the game, grabbed Bryant's jersey to restrain him.

"The biggest thing is everybody was just really telling him the same thing - 'Dez, we love you, we understand what you're saying, but let's get ready for the next play,' and that's the way it was," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "I've been around, in my career, some really, really passionate players and coaches and they typically tend to be the best ones."

Or, as Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway put it: "I think when you start attacking other people for doing their job or for not doing their job. You can't start attacking people's character, attacking people's decisions."

That often was the perception surrounding another emotional receiver, Terrell Owens, who famously refused to let then-Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb walk away from him on the sideline - an incident the pair playfully mocked during a later game.

"More than anything, people think when someone throws their hands up and they're emotional, they take it and run with it because it's a good story and then you get a lot of ratings," Romo said. "But in reality, there's just nothing negative that can come - unless they're doing it in a deceitful, mean manner, and (Bryant) just doesn't do that."

Romo had his own heated moments with Owens, whose name quickly comes up in any discussion about sideline etiquette. But Owens is far from the only player to push the boundaries - and quarterbacks aren't always on the receiving end.

"No matter how frustrated you may be inside, you want to have positive body language," Redskins backup quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "I would always encourage myself and teammates to stay positive."

Receiver Ted Ginn once had to get between former San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Singletary and quarterback Troy Smith. Offensive tackle Barry Richardson shoved a coach while with the Kansas City Chiefs. Then-Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins had a point-blank confrontation with coach Andy Reid - during a preseason game.

"We'd rather for our guys to communicate in a fashion where we can talk back and forth as opposed to having an outburst on the sidelines that could be a distraction for our team," Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said. "But I do understand how passionate our players are and how much they want to win."

"Heck, me and Frazier have been nose-to-nose on the sideline pointing each other in the chest," Allen said. "It doesn't mean I disrespect him. It doesn't mean I don't love him. â?¦ I was pissed off at a situation. I'm venting my frustration about what I think needs to be done to win that game, and 99% of the time it's never about the individual."

Allen has some latitude as a five-time Pro Bowl pick, though. And he admits the line is "wherever the coach will let (a player) take it to without fisticuffs."

Bryant, who had two touchdown catches in Sunday's loss, surely falls into that category - though the audio of the first exchange didn't strike players around the league as over the line.

"Dez didn't say anything that was negative," Baltimore Ravens end Chris Canty said. "I didn't hear anything derogatory coming out towards Tony or anybody on the offense. It sounded like words of encouragement."

Bryant just delivered them in a slightly more demonstrative way than others might have - and made the mistake of reprising his antics while there was still time on the clock.

"I don't get into that stuff, because I don't feel it's appropriate for me to do it in that fashion," Redskins receiver Santana Moss said. "There have been some times when I have blown up before, but it may not have been caught on camera.

"I'd never knock a guy for what they do when they're out there and you can count on them. Now, if you're a guy who's out there ranting and raving and you can't bust a grape, you need to sit down."

Fair or not, plenty of attention (and TV cameras) will be trained to Bryant if the Cowboys offense struggles Sunday against Allen and the Vikings.

The longer any exchanges with Romo and company go on, the better the chance it'll get caught - and the better the chance it will become the distraction the Cowboys say Bryant's blowups were not last weekend.

"Maybe we can get a shot clock on it, right?" Allen said. "I don't know. If it becomes the helmets off, then it can be a little destructive. â?¦ I've thrown my helmet plenty of times. I've been nose-to-nose with coaches plenty of times, with other players. It happens. â?¦

"I have a bigger problem with people that are detached (and) counting butterflies on the side when you're trying to get a win. So, yeah, maybe you shouldn't go on all the time, but honestly, I saw the clips (of Bryant) - I didn't think it was that big. Now all of a sudden the audio comes out and everybody's like, 'Oh, he's so passionate.'

"Give the kid a break. He was hot, for a minute. It's just like family. You're around each other every day, all the time, (and) sometimes you need a vent session. Sometimes you need to just, hey, L-I-G it - let it go. Move on."